HEALTH campaigners have slammed ambulances not hitting response time targets.

Redbridge is one of the worst London boroughs for ambulance response times to serious call outs, according to recent figures.

The London Ambulance Service has said the figures are partly due to a rise in 999 calls in the borough.

Campaigners who are battling against proposals to move services, including accident and emergency treatment, from King George Hospital to hospitals outside the borough say the latest figures strengthen the argument to retain key services at the borough's only hospital.

Geoff Horsnell, of Gloucester Road, Wanstead, said: "It is a dire state of affairs really."

The London Ambulance Service sets a target of reaching category A calls within eight minutes at least 75 per cent of the time.

Figures published this week by the GMB union show that in Redbridge between April and September the London Ambulance Service only hit this target in August.

In April and May the LAS responded to calls in eight minutes 69 per cent of the time, in June the figure was 72 per cent, July was 73 per cent and in September 68 per cent.of calls were responded to in eight minutes.

Wilson Chowdhry, who lives in Green Lane, Ilford, called an ambulance on Sunday, November 7.

He was having a small firework display when a piece of debris flew from a firework into his wife's face.

The 35-year-old, who is campaigning against changes to King George Hospital said: "It hit Juliet (Mr Chowdhry's wife) in the eye and straight away was causing her extreme pain.

"She lost consciousness so we called an ambulance.

"It must have taken about 20 minutes to arrive and instead of going five minutes to King George's it went to Whipps Cross.

"I left after the ambulance and was there in about 20 minutes and it must have arrived a good 20 minutes later.

"They must be going a strange route as it took a very long time.

"If we lose A&E at King George's that is surely going to extend these times further because ambulances are not getting here on time now and then once they've arrived they will have to travel further to get you to hospital.

"Short distances would enable the service to react more efficiently and effectively."

Mr Horsnell, 60, echoed Mr Chowdhry and said if the A&E department is moved from King George Hospital it will create a need for more investment.

He said: "I guess traffic in the borough might be something to do with the figures but the worry is if patients are being taken to other hospitals outside the borough, an ambulance then has to drive from Romford, for example, to get back on patch.

"To retain a high level of service there would need to be investment to ensure there were more ambulances on the borough's roads."

In August LAS failed to meet the 75 per cent target in seven of London boroughs, however, overall LAS met the target for five of the six months.

A spokesman for the LAS said records show that an ambulance arrived at Mr Chowdhry's house within eight minutes of the 999 call and the jounrey to Whipps Cross Hospital took 28 minutes.

Katy Millard, LAS Assistant Director of Operations, said: "The number of emergency calls to the most seriously ill and injured (Category A) patients across London has risen by 3.5 per cent since last year, while in Redbridge they have gone up by 5.5 per cent.

“This extra increase has presented additional challenges in the borough.

"Despite this there was a month-on-month improvement until September, when we saw a 16 per cent increase in these incidents compared to the same month last year.

“We are already taking stroke patients and those suffering from the most serious traumatic injuries directly to specialist centres, and our staff are continuing to work very hard to meet the demands of an ever-increasing call rate.

"As ever we would ask people with less serious conditions to consider other healthcare options first such their local pharmacist, walk-in centres and minor injuries units before they dial 999.”